april asa clarifications
 

Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)

they discuss illegal pitch or not with batter not in box

also possibility of interference by batter runner on throw from f3 to the plate.

Why are optic yellow shorts not a distracting item worn on the pitcher's thigh?

If the BR commits INT to prevent a double play, who is the "immediate trailing runner"?

Is the 3rd base coverage by the BU list complete?

Ostensibly, for the same reason white uniform pants/shorts were not a distracting item worn on the pitcher's thigh before optic yellow balls were invented.

Because of this:
Rule 3, Section 6B PANTS/SLIDING PANTS:
All players’ pants may be long, short, or mixed in style, as long as they are like in color. Players may wear a solid-colored pair of sliding pants. It is not mandatory that all players wear sliding pants, but if more than one player wears them, they must be like in color and style. No player may wear ragged, frayed or slit legs on exposed sliding pants.


Pants (shorts) are not considered an item that is referenced in Rule 6.

I believe there were 2 rules quoted that kind of 'blended' together. One was talking about batter-runner interference and the other was talking about runner interference. Bad editing.

Yes. Unless you don't consider a pitch to be a throw. Then, there is another time the base ump is responsible for a call at 3B. On a steal.

PLAY: With R1 on 3B and one out, B3 hits a ground ball to F3. R1 tries to advance home as F3 throws home and hits B3 who is running outside the three-foot lane. Do we have interference on B3 for not running in the three-foot lane?

RULING: B3 is not out for being out of the three-foot lane but could be called out for interference, if in the umpire’s judgment B3 committed interference. The three-foot lane only applies to the Batter-Runner when running to first base and the throw is to first base.

Rule 8, Section 2E: When the batter-runner runs outside the three-foot lane and, in the umpire’s judgment, interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base….. However there could be Interference by the Batter-Runner if in the judgment of the umpire, the Batter-Runner impeded, hindered or confused the defensive player attempting to execute a play.
(Rule 1 - Definitions), or Rule 8 Section 7J [3] When a runner interferes:
1. With a fielder attempting to field a batted fair ball or a foul fly ball, or
2. With a fielder attempting to throw the ball, or
3. With a thrown ball.

So I have R1 on 3rd base and breaks for home on a batted ball to F3 by B3. B3 is about 2 feet inside the base line and 25 feet from home plate when the throw from F3 smacks her in the neck. B3 did not move into the ball.
ASA is saying we could have interference on this play. Is this how it has always been with this scenario? i am pretty sure Federation says it is not.

Ron

Where is the interference? The BR is running to 1B. There is no rule forbidding the BR from being where s/he is running.

Then B3 did not interfere.

I can buy that but then just what is the national office envisioning is interference cause they definetely say it can happen? The play they have listed is pretty darn generic and I could see someone arguing that the runner's position on the field impeded the throw, hence executing a play.

I think the point of the clarification is that the running lane and the batter-runner's location relative to it has nothing to do with this play.

This play would only be ruled interference if the B/R did something to interfere, not because she was out of the running lane....

Thanks Andy. You are hired as the NO's interpreter.:D

This could be interference, if the BR changed course and ran into the throwing lane, thereby impeding the throw. If BR is running to 1st base and F3 throws the ball into BR, I got nothing but a bad throw.